TOOK A LONG HARD LOOK AT COUNTING STARS BY ONEREPUBLIC pt. 1

Jessica Jones
Sep 16, 2015
3 min read

survival (definition) the continuation of life or existence | one that lives on

necessary (definition) of an inevitable nature | determined by the previous condition of things

Counting Dollars versus Counting Stars

In this corner, weighing in stacked amounts, is Counting Dollars i.e. bands, dat paper, moola or skrilla. And in the opposing corner, weighing in at high levels of thoughtfulness, reflection and self-actualization, it's Counting Stars.

All corny cliches aside, Counting Dollars and Counting Stars seem like everyday opposing forces. And just for the sake of being on the same page, lemme break it down for you real quick.

See, Counting Dollars is survival. By counting my dollars, I can decide for myself what I can afford to eat, how much I need to pay them bills and (if I have enough money left) put some of it in my savings account. Now obviously, counting dollars is relative to each person which can be based on income, whether or not you have a family or are taking care of a family member(s), if you have loan and other bill payments, etc. As for me, when I worked multiple jobs (AT THE SAME DAMN TIME #FutureReference), I put one check immediately in my savings account and the other toward finally paying off that credit card debt. [Though it was very temporary]

Hey but whatcha you do with the rest of that money though?

Well I used it to satisfy my basic needs like food and even some non-essential ones like excessive amounts of on sale clothes and shoes (#IGotAProblem #SalesAreATrap).

However, the best decisions that I've done with my money is spend it on experiences. For example, going out to dinner with the fam or a group of friends. Watch movies and spend time at the theater with my baby brother. Taking a road trip to my college town of Santa Cruz to kick it with the homies. If itemized, it would include money for gas, food, shopping or just to go out (either to a house party or grab some essentials to chill and watch something nostalgic or new on Netflix.

[And don't getcha mind in the gutter with that Netflix and Chill meme. Don't be sexualizin' my chill time]

And one of my biggest experiential highlights was using the remnants of my last paycheck (from a job that I slowly grew to not care for) and transforming that negative into a positive transaction by going out to New York City for the first time. BY. MY. SELF. (#grownfolkbusiness) Counting Dollars is survival. But it can satisfy both basic needs as well as emotional ones, building a mental portfolio of unforgettable memories and long lasting experiences.

What about Counting Stars though?

If Counting Dollars is survival, Counting Stars is necessary. When I flip through my mental portfolio filled with Awkwardness, Boss Levels of Epicness, The Mundane and Plain as well as the Foolishly Ridonkculous, my current thoughts place these memories on the shelf in response to one word: purpose.

What does purpose mean? And the most frequently asked question: what is your purpose? A question that is asked and googled like everyday.

This is why Counting Stars is necessary, because it allows you to envision not only what your purpose is but also how you actualize it. As for me, I aim to actualize it in this blog. Because my purpose, as of now, is to create spaces where diverse and even those who feel under/misrepresented to be real and in love with themselves FIRST and to address that realness boldly in whatever life places or struggle boat paddles us towards.

But I only came to this conclusion because of my own distrust in my voice. I still have those feelings even as I write this post. But I'm learning. Overcoming it with each letter, word, sentence and paragraph I muster out of my thoughts.

So Counting Dollars and Counting Stars doesn't have to be either/or because I'm choosing both. I'm choosing to survive by investing in my basic and emotional needs. But I'm also choosing to necessitate how to achieve my purpose in light of my present circumstances and my past misguided adventures.